The average person has anywhere from 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day according to the
National Science Foundation. Unfortunately, many of them tend to be negative thoughts that
can prevent you from having a highly productive week. The same study found that 80% of those
thoughts were negative, and 95% were repeated thoughts from the day before.
Just like filing cabinets, your brain tends to store thoughts, especially negative ones, which
slowly build-up, preventing you from staying productive and focused. So, how do you take
control of your mind and thoughts to promote a more productive week?
Here are ten ways to declutter your mind and be more productive this week.
Declutter your physical space
It’s not just a messy mind that can affect your productivity – a messy workspace will leave you
feeling frustrated and more stressed. A study by the Princeton Neuroscience Institute found
that having multiple visual stimuli in your view can cause them to compete for neural
representation, in other words, your physical clutter can literally lead to mental clutter.
Get rid of anything on your desk that is not essential, and only leave things that are a high
priority within sight. Everything else you can put away until you need it.
However, even after you organize your space, it’s easy to acquire clutter again, so check in
every day this week to keep your space tidy.
Focus on the most important things
True, you may not be able to get everything done this week, but you can get the most
important things done. What two to four things are your top priority this week? Devote most of
your energy to those tasks this week. You may even notice that the smaller tasks just happen to
fall into place.
Set goals and plan ahead
One of the best ways to manage a heavy workload is to plan every week and every day around
the tasks you have to get done. Start your day by writing out what top tasks need to get done,
and work through that list in order of priority. Set goals for yourself as well so that you can
measure your progress.
Put it on paper
Put pen to paper metaphorically, or literally, and record the things you need to do so that you
don’t have to store them in your brain. Studies dating back to the 1920s have shown that
writing down a to-do list can free up your brain from worrying about specific tasks. You could
use an app, a checklist, or a piece of paper as your mental clutter’s ‘storage’ so that you don’t
have to include it all in your mind.
Find your flow with a challenge
Flow is a state of mind where you can be fully immersed in a task, and it allows you to perform
at your peak. Getting into a flow requires tasks that are challenging, yet you have the skills to
do. Studies have found that entering a state of flow can not only increase your performance but
also your motivation and even self-actualization.
Take breaks
Even a 9 to 5 shouldn’t be eight hours of continuous work – take breaks when you need them
and maybe plan a few in as well. In fact, taking breaks can increase your productivity because
your brain has a chance to reset.
Lots of research has been done around the ideal amount of work versus break time; however,
it’s best to try a few and see what works for you. Popular methods include:
● Pomodoro – 25 minutes of work, 5-minute break
● Desktime – 52 minutes of work, 17-minute break
● Ultradian rhythms— 90 minutes of work, 30-minute break
And don’t skip a lunch break! A survey by Tork found that employees who took longer lunch
breaks were more satisfied and engaged with their work.
Don’t multi-task
Multitasking may seem like a good way to get more done in less time, but in reality, it takes
about the same amount of time as it would to focus on just one thing. Your brain will find it
easier to focus on one thing at a time.
The University of Stanford found that multitasking actually reduces your efficiency at a task and
can limit your cognitive control. Plus, multi-tasking will leave you feeling more stressed than
before.
Develop a routine
Putting your brain on autopilot can also declutter your mind. Small tasks such as making
breakfast, deciding what to wear each day, and what to do right when you wake up can be
‘automated’ to simplify your week.
You can also set weekly and even monthly routines for larger tasks like laundry and cleaning,
car maintenance and more. If you get into a routine with laundry or doing the dishes, you won’t
have to stress about those tasks as much because you will automatically take care of them.
Plan time to unwind
Leave time in your day to meditate, exercise or unwind and give your brain a break. Deep
breathing can help you pause and elevate your mood. Plan some time this week without a
screen, doing something that makes you happy.
Additionally, meditation and breathing exercises are great practices to help you focus on the
present and clear your mind.
Unsubscribe, unfollow, and let go
Spending too much time on online media will bombard you with messages you don’t need. You
don’t need to spend hours on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, or Netflix. On average, adults spend
almost four hours on their phones a day – and that doesn’t include your laptop, TV, or tablet!
You may not even realize how much you’re spending but take a look at your screen time, as
most phones keep track of it in settings. You can set time limits for specific apps on your phone
with Apple ScreenTime or Andriod Digital Wellbeing. You can also unsubscribe from any emails
that you don’t need to streamline your inbox.
Ultimately, decluttering your mind for a productive week is more about consistency than
perfection. If you’re constantly worried about doing everything right, you probably won’t!
Just focus on consistently following these tips to declutter your mind, and eventually, it will get
easier.
For more useful information and tips on how you can improve your Life Work Balance,
increase productivity and work smarter, check out my FREE eBook ‘4 Epic Life Work Effect
Pillars of Smarter Hybrid Working’.
This action focused eBook is to help organisations and hardworking employees achieve
smarter work and life success through performance improvement, hybrid work productivity
and burnout prevention.